Are you like me and have a whole bin of mini skeins and ends of big skeins that are at least 9m or 10 yds long and just too pretty to toss? I decided to put all of my longs pieces, okay some of my long pieces, to use and created a sideways knit cardigan that uses the colours in a gradient arrangement between plain black. I have published the pattern on Ravelry and I am also posting it here for you to create your own lovely work of art.
You can use a variety of weights and textures for the stripes as the basic garter stitch of the sideways knit body hold the differences together nicely. It is possible to up or down size this cardigan but you will need to calculate the difference in size in the front and back pieces or the sleeves, which are worked bottom up, will need to be adjusted as well.
Gradient Striped Jacket
The pattern as written fits a 46” bust with no ease. You can up or downsize it by adding or subtracting pattern repeats at the fronts and backs. If you adjust under the arms, you will have to fiddle with the sleeves to make it fit.
Cardigan as knit is 72cm or 18.25” from the back neck to the bottom.
Gauge: 20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches or 10 cm unblocked
Materials: 600gr worsted weight yarn, 9m, 10 yd lengths of contrast yarn in a variety of colours, weights and textures. I used sample skeins arranged in a gradient sequence for the contrast and machine washable wool for the main colour.
Tools: one 80cm or 32” 5mm, US 8 circular needle to hold all the stitches. Jacket is knit back and forth. 5mm crochet hook to finish the edge of the neck if you want a tighter finish.
Note: The jacket body is worked in one piece from left front edge to right front edge. Even rows are right side of garment. Contrast row pattern is worked over two rows, beginning and ending at the bottom edge so that sewing in the ends is easier.
Stripe Pattern: (always begin at bottom edge of jacket):
Rows 1 to 10: With main colour, work garter stitch (knit all stitches).
Row 11: With one of the contrast yarns, k2 *(yo, k2tog)*, repeat * to * until one stitch remains, k1.
Row 12: With same yarn, purl all stitches.
Left Front:
Cast on 105 stitches with main colour and knit 9 rows. For a shorter cardigan, decrease the number of cast on stitches by two’s.
Begin pattern:
Row 10 to 19: With main colour, knit all stitches.
Row 20: With a contrast yarn, k2, (yo, k2tog) to last stitch, k1.
Row 21: With same contrast yarn, purl all stitches.
Rows 22 to 28: With main colour, knit all stitches.
Row 29: Begin to increase for the neck edge. Knit until one stitch remains, m1, k1.
Row 30: Knit all stitches.
Row 31: Repeat row 29.
Continue increasing at the neck edge, while maintaining the stripe pattern, until there are 112 stitches on the needle. Next row at neck edge, cast on 23 stitches for a total of 135 stitches on the needle.
Left Front Shoulder:
*To make the shoulder, work 33 rows, maintaining stripe pattern and end the last row at the shoulder.*
Left Armhole:
Cast off 40 stitches at the beginning of the next row to begin the armhole shaping and, maintaining the pattern, work to end.
Knit one row from bottom edge to armhole edge.
Cast off 5 stitches at the beginning of the next row and, maintaining the pattern, work to end.
Knit one row from bottom edge back to armhole.
Cast off one stitch at armhole edge for a total of 89 stitches remaining on the needle and, maintaining the pattern, work to end.
Maintaining stripe pattern, work rows before beginning to increase for the left back shoulder.
At the armhole edge of the next row, cast on 1 stitch.
Knit one row from bottom edge to armhole edge.
At the armhole edge of the next row, cast on 5 stitches.
Knit one row from bottom edge to armhole edge.
At the armhole edge of the next row, cast on 40 stitches for a total of 135 stitches.
Left Back Shoulder:
Repeat the Make the Shoulder instruction from * to * above.
Back Neck edge:
At the beginning of the next row, cast off four stitches for a total of 131 stitches.
Continue working in stripe pattern for repeats, cast on 4 stitches at the neck edge of the next row.
Back Right Shoulder:
Repeat the Make the Shoulder instruction from * to * as above.
Right Armhole:
Repeat the same instructions for shaping as the left armhole.
Front Right Shoulder:
Repeat the Make the Shoulder instruction from * to * as above.
Right Front:
Cast off 23 stitches at the neck edge for a total of 112 stitches remaining on the needle.
Maintaining stripe pattern, decrease at the beginning of the row at the neck edge, k1, k2tog, k to end 7 times for a total of 105 stitches remaining.
Work one more pattern repeat.
With main colour, knit 9 rows (the rest of the front will be worked with the main colour only.
Buttonholes:
Make 5 buttonholes, evenly spaced from neck edge: k5, *(yo, k2tog, k13)* repeat until there are 35 stitches remaining, k35.
Knit 10 rows.
Cast off 105 stitches.
Sleeves:
Note: the sleeves are worked bottom to top, not side to side. The patterning will make the cuff which is folded up so your sleeve will seem too long when you are working it. You just need to allow for the turned up cuff when you are measuring for length.
Cast on 50 stitches and work 3 pattern repeats.
Begin stocking stitch by purling all stitches on the next row which will be the wrong side of your work.
Work 28 more rows of stocking stitch so that you end with a purl row. Begin increasing to shape your sleeve by making one stitch on each side every 6 rows until you have 70 stitches on your needles. You may use your favourite increase as long as it doesn’t leave a hole. I increase by: K1, lift the bar between this stitch and the next one and place it over the left hand needle, knit into the back of this loop to twist and tighten the stitch made and knit the rest of the row.
Note to adjust sleeve length: If you have shorter arms, measure when you are half way up your sleeve to see if you need to adjust the increases to every 4 rows to reach 70 stitches and have the sleeve the right length.) If you have longer arms, measure, not including the patterned cuff, to see if your sleeve is the right length. You can continue to work stocking stitch with no more increases if your sleeve is too short.
Shape armhole: Cast off 6 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.
Cast off 1 stitch at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
Work 10 rows of stocking stitch ending with a purl row.
Next (K2tog through the back loop, K to last 2 stitches, K2tog) and work 3 more rows of stocking stitch. Repeat 4 more times.
Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 6 rows.
Cast off 5 stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
Cast off remaining 10 stitches.
Block the sleeves, not including the patterned cuffs and sew the seam closed. When you are seaming the cuffs, make sure that you sew on the wrong side so that the seam is inside the cuff when you fold it back. Sew shoulder seams and set in the sleeves. Sew on the buttons and you are done.
I worked a row of single crochet around the neckline to finish the edge.
I did not block the body of the sweater as I liked the pattern as it was knit without any stretching.
Cardigan Back
